Surprising Uses For Eggs
Where would breakfast be without eggs? It's hard to imagine a world without the nutritional powerhouse, but it turns out that eggs are good for a variety of nonconsumption uses too — and some of them might surprise you.
Eggs are a rich source of protein, healthy fats, omega-3 fatty acids, and a wealth of important vitamins (via Medical News Today). One medium egg has 5.5 grams of protein, 62.5 calories, and 4.2 grams of fat. Of those fat grams, 2.8 are unsaturated, which experts believe is the best type of fat for a healthy diet. A little more than 12% of the edible part of an egg is protein, which helps us feel full longer and repairs muscles after working out. Eggs are a great source of vitamins A, B, D, E, and K, which are good for the immune system, brain health, and more. They're also rich in choline, folic acid, lutein, and other important nutrients to maintain a healthy immune system, per Medical News Today.
It used to be thought that the amount of cholesterol in eggs made them dangerous for consumption, especially for our heart health. However, more researchers and experts believe that eating eggs doesn't increase the risk for heart disease or stroke among healthy individuals, as evidenced by a collective 2013 study published in the British Medical Journal. While it's great to know that eating eggs is good for us, the food has a multitude of other household and personal uses.
What else are eggs good for?
It can be hard not to waste part of an egg if a recipe only calls for the white or the yolk. According to Slow Food International, leftover egg whites can be mixed with a bit of warm water to make a skin-tightening face mask. Their sticky texture makes egg whites good for cleaning and protecting leather — simply rub over a leather bag or shoes and wipe away with a cloth. Leftover egg yolks can be used as a hair conditioner, by mixing with water or olive oil and leaving in the hair for 10 minutes before rinsing.
Since eggshells are high in calcium, save that water from hard-boiled eggs and use it to water your plants (via Expert Home Tips). The calcium content works like a fertilizer and will make your soil richer. Mix ¼ cup of warm milk with one egg yolk to create a nail soak for healthy-looking, revitalized fingernails. The soak can help encourage nail growth, smooth cuticles, and nail strength. Some even believe that a raw egg is a good hangover cure when mixed with Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and Tabasco and gulped down (via Goody Feed).